Do you give exams or take them?

 When was the last time you gave an exam? In university, perhaps, or to get an online certification? Almost everyone in India seems to have given exams.

I was so into like cancel boards covid is spreading and all and now I'm about to go to a center to give my entrance exam. Kinda scared 😰

— nandini rawat (@n4ndiniiiiii) April 17, 2021

#MakeTerm1Online.Today I gave my exam and believe me no covid protocols were strictly followed.The externals were not even wearing their masks properly.The other students were chatting while standing close to each other with their masks off..No social distancing was maintained

— Arya Upadhyay (@AryaUpadhyay29) November 22, 2021

I have to give my exam in an hour and got hurt on my hand rn and now it's bleeding
HOW WOULD I GIVE MY EXAM BRO??

— srishti (@naisecretgf) December 2, 2021

As for me, I have never given an exam in my entire life! That's because a candidate takes an exam, whereas a teacher is the one who gives an exam. This is a very common mistake that Indians make. 

Bonus: 10 classic indianisms. 

Alumni

Many people think that alumni is a singular noun when in fact it is a plural. The masculine singular is alumnus and the feminine is alumna. 

It’s easy to remember this when you think of other words whose -us endings turn into -i in the plural: fungus - fungi, focus - foci, radius - radii etc  

I am officially an alumni at CSULB ✨
Can’t wait to see what i do next 🥰 pic.twitter.com/pKPiGcdfr7

— Britt 🦋 (@brittanyy_ann_) May 31, 2021

i am an alumni of keystone college! #Graduation2021 #Classof2021 pic.twitter.com/bbv2Vy6F1Z

— jamie (@jamiEEEjohnson) May 25, 2021

Congratulations to Brandon Dewease for being named MCCer of the Month for September! Brandon is an alumni of MCC and now serves as the Director of Student Engagement. To read more, visit https://t.co/ZMKD9SY63m#MccEagles #MCCerOfTheMonth #StudentEngagement #FindYourWings pic.twitter.com/VbETTl2ZJN

— Meridian Community College (@MCCEagles) September 20, 2021

The following are some examples of correct usage.

 

Senator Duckworth is an alumna of The George Washington University... pic.twitter.com/J3R6dGRD1C

— YAF (@yaf) July 6, 2020

Jonathan McCardle is an alumnus of the prestigious National Criminal Defense College in Bristol, Rhode Island. #ncdc #criminaldefense #dui #duidefense #nacdl pic.twitter.com/DQnDnN5vzO

— Jonathan McCardle (@Jon_McCardle) September 20, 2021

A usage without basis

This has turned into one of my pet peeves, along with the use of post as a preposition. I am talking about the increasing trend of writing basis instead of on the basis of or based on, as has been done in the following examples:

Employees will have to evaluate which regime works for them, basis the amount of deductions / exemptions they wish to claim. (The Economic Times)

The premium rates will vary basis the sum assured option chosen by the policyholder. (maxlifeinsurance.com)

The supply chains need to have a different treatment everywhere basis the nature of work: Ms Alka Nangia Arora, JS, @minmsme at FICCI - UN Women D&I Webinar on 'Impact of COVID-19 on Women in Supply Chains'. pic.twitter.com/kChKInCQlZ

— FICCI (@ficci_india) April 27, 2020

Hi Manoj,for your query regarding incorrect deduction from your wallet for amount of Rs 125/- Please note that as defined by the FASTag regulatory body, Toll plaza may take 20 calendar days to either accept or reject the dispute basis the outcome of their internal investigation.

— Paytm Bank Care (@paytmbankcare) April 27, 2020

Dear Rahul,
Stem cells hold potential to treat COVID-19 basis the current human clinical trials around the world. However, these are still early days to conclude anything at this point of time.
You may visit our website: https://t.co/FIQJdTPkPl

— LifeCell International (@Lifecellint) April 27, 2020

Rather than calculating infection rate basis the population, why not calculate on basis the Total tests conducted.

— टरबूज मामु (@80hrCM) April 26, 2020

Should teenagers propose?

In Indian English, teenagers often talk of proposing to someone when they mean to ask someone out on a date or declare their fondness for that person.

Not so in standard English, where to propose (in the intransitive sense, i.e. when the verb doesn't have a direct object) only means 'to make an offer of marriage to someone'.

https://www.lexico.com/definition/propose

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propose

A three-way bifurcation

We have already concluded that the three-way bifurcation by the High Court was legally unsustainable, said one of the sentences in the recent Supreme Court judgement on the Ram Janmabhoomi case.

The Oxford dictionary defines bifurcation as the division of something into two branches or parts. Hence, a three-way bifurcation is self-contradictory. The word the judges needed to use was trifurcation, a division into three parts.